Cairns Taipans history shows all not lost just yet

SITTING at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-3 record to start the NBL season would have some Cairns Taipans fans worried. They only need to look back a couple of seasons to find some positivity.

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ON paper, sitting at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-3 record to start the NBL season would have been close to a worst-case scenario when new boss Mike Kelly was preparing for his first season in charge.

ON paper, sitting at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-3 record to start the NBL season would have been close to a worst-case scenario when new boss Mike Kelly was preparing for his first season in charge.

But, as I have learned, Cairns Taipans fans have a very long memory when it comes to their club, and they only need to turn their mind back two campaigns to find their side in a very similar predicament.

In the season of 2016-17, Cairns started 0-3, beaten by Perth, Sydney and then Adelaide on the road in their opening trio of games.

There are two ways to look at it.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — OCTOBER 13: Nate Jawai of the Cairns Taipans is stopped by Alonzo Gee of the Brisbane Bullets of Brisbane during the round one NBL match between the Brisbane Bullets and the Cairns Taipans at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre on October 13, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

That Taipans team dropped all three games on the road to start the new season, which is far from being disgraced, while this one has already fallen in two home games, which should never happen to start a campaign.

That team and this Snakes outfit face the exact same path to get their season back on track — Melbourne United at home.

The 0-3 Snakes welcomed then championship favourites United into the Far North for their fourth game of that season, won well and then went on to play in the playoffs.

This Cairns side will be ready and waiting for United this Saturday, in their fifth game of the season, desperate to topple the defending champions to get their season back on track, just as they did two years ago.

Originally published as Cairns Taipans history shows all not lost just yet